Shuttle



Jan. 4, 1938. 3 Q DODGE 2,104,153

SHUTTLE Filed Oct. 14, 1936 [71/06 7146;)? Sherzuood 0. 1? 6,

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Patented Jan. 4, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SHUTTLE Application October 14, 1936,-Serial No.,105, 562

1 Claim.

, This invention relates .to shuttles and particularly to a threadeyeforaniautomatic self-threading shuttle of the type used in automatic looms.

The object of :the invention is to provide a simple inexpensive thread eye for a shuttle, said .eye being so constructed and associated with the threading slots of said shuttle that the thread willenter the eye automatically .on the second pick and thereafter remain securely threaded insaid. eye :during the operation of the shuttle.

Another object -of the invention is to :provide a thread eye constructed .of a single piece of metal or ,othersuitable material, said eye being inserted in .a shuttle without weakening the structure :thereof, and being easily replaceable therein if necessary.

The :invention consists in .a shuttle and thread eye therefor as set forth in the following specification and particularly as pointed out in the claim thereof. 7

Referring to the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of an end portion of a shuttle embodying my invention, showing the thread from a bobbin carried by the shuttle threaded through the eye thereof.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same end of the shuttle illustrated in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal horizontal section taken on the line 3--3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged top plan view of the thread eye removed from the shuttle and including a thread extending through the thread passage of said eye.

Fig. 5 is a rear or inner end view of the thread eye.

Fig. 6 is a front or outer end View of the thread eye.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged top plan view of another form of thread eye embodying my invention.

Fig. 8 is a front or outer end view of the thread eye shown in Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged top plan view of still another form of thread eye embodying the invention.

Fig. 10 is a front or outer end view of the thread eye shown in Fig. 9.

Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawing.

In the drawing, referring particularly to Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive, l I represents a shuttle and i2 'is a bobbin mounted in a bobbin chamber l3 of said shuttle and having a filling thread 14 wound thereon, all in a manner well known to those skilled inthe art. Formed in the upper surface of an end portion iii of the shuttle l I is a Vertical.

thread slot EH5 which extends from the endof the bobbin chamber l3 lengthwise through said end portion at a slight angle to the longitudinal median line of .the shuttle, finally emerging at a side of the shuttle adjacent to a tip IT thereof. 6

The Vertical thread slot I5 flares outwardly at its inner end at l8 where it communicates: with the bobbin chamber l3, and the outer end por tion of said slot communicates with a horizontal thread slot I9 which extends inwardly from the 10 side of the shuttle upon which the slot t6 emerges, and intersects said slot H5 at the bottom thereof. At its rear end the slot l9 terminates in a square hole 20 which is provided in the side of the shuttle H for the purpose of receiving a rec- 15 tangular thread eye 2| illustrated in detail in Figs. 4, 5 and 6, and through which the thread 14 may be threaded automatically or manually as may be desired. The upper surface-of the hole and upper surface of the :thread slot 19 are 20 coincidental.

The thread eye 2i is approximately square in cross-sectional contour, and is constructed of a single piece of metal or other suitable material commonly used for such purposes, and has a cylindrical thread passage 22 extending longitudinally therethrough. At its inner or rear end the thread eye 2| is provided with a, flange 23 above which the filling thread [4 passes while being threaded into the passage 22 of the eye 2|. The thread M enters the thread passage 22 of the eye 2| from the thread slot l9 through another thread slot 24 formed in the upper portion of said eye above the passage 22, and said slot extends lengthwise of said eye and at a slight angle to the axis thereof, and is diagonally located with respect to the passage 22, and separates the upper portion of the eye into oppositely projecting overhanging and overlapping arched portions 25 and 26 for the passage 22, said overhanging portions overlying the thread l4 which, when threaded into said eye, extends through, the passage 22 thereof, as illustrated in Fig. 4, thereby acting to effectively confine said thread in said passage.

The upper surface of the overhanging portion 25 forms a continuation of the upper surface of the thread slot l9 and the upper surface of the overhanging portion 26 forms a continuation of the bottom surface of the slot I9, and the slot 24, therefore, forms a downwardly extending continuation of said slot l9, Preferably the opposite side walls of the slot 24 are inclined to facilitate the transfer of the thread M from the slot 19 into the slot 24 and into the passage 22, and a side wall 21 of said slot 24 projects above the opposite side wall of said slot thereby forming a shoulder at the top of the thread eye 2| and at the entrance to the slot 24, which causes the thread M to be deflected from the horizontal thread slot l9 downwardly into the inclined slot 24. The thread eye 2| is secured in the shuttle II by a pin 28 which extends through the shuttle into the flange 23 of said eye.

In the operation of an automatic loom, in threading the thread [4 into the eye 2|, on the first pick, the thread in unwinding from the bobbin l 2, drops into the vertical slot I6 in the shuttle and on the second pick is carried from said slot through the slots 19 and 24 into the thread passage 22 where it will thereafter be confined in an effective manner by the oppositely projecting overhanging and overlapping portions 25 and 26 of the thread eye.

In Figs. 7 and 8 I have illustrated a modified embodiment of my invention, in which a thread eye 29 is formed of a single piece of suitable material which is hexagonal in cross-sectional contour and has a cylindrical thread passage 30 extending longitudinally therethrough upon the axis thereof. A thread slot 3| provided with inclined side walls communicates with the upper portion of the passage 30 and is positioned diagonally with respect thereto, and said slot 3! separates the upper portion of the thread eye 29 into oppositely projecting overhanging and overlapping portions 32 and 33 for said passage, said portions overlying a thread within the passage and thereby confining said thread therein. a

In Figs. 9 and 10 still another embodiment of my invention is illustrated in which a thread eye 34 is formed of a single piece of suitable material which is circular in cross-sectional contour and has a cylindrical thread passage 35 extending longitudinally therethrough upon the axis thereof.

A thread slot 36 provided with inclined side walls communicates with the upper portion of the passage 35 and is positioned diagonally with respect thereto, and said slot 36 separates the upper portion of the thread eye 34 into oppositely projecting overhanging and overlapping portions 31 and 38 for said passage, said portions overlying a thread within the passage and thereby confining said thread therein.

All of the various embodiments of the invention are similar in every respect except as to their cross-sectional contour, and all of the structures illustrated function in exactly the same manner and are equally effective in maintaining a thread therein. The various forms of thread eyes are each constructed of a single piece of material and are of very simple and rugged construction, and, furthermore, said eyes may be easily inserted in the body member of the shuttle without weakening the structure thereof, and any tendency therefore, for the shuttle to break while dofling the bobbin is reduced to a minimum. l

I claim:

In a shuttle, a thread eye having an axial thread passage extending therethrough and also having a thread slot communicating with said passage at the top thereof, said slot extending in a continuous straight line lengthwise of said eye and diagonally with respect to said passage and separating the portion of the eye above the passage into oppositely projecting overhanging and overlapping portions at each end of the passage adapted to confine a thread in the passage, one of the side walls of the thread slot being higher than the opposite side wall, shoulder at the top of the eye and at the entrance vto the thread slot, whereby a thread will be deflected into said slot.

' SHERWOOD O. DODGE. 4.0

thereby providing a 

